BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Alberto Moreno, arrived in Jamaica Wednesday night. Moreno who was met by Finance Minister, Dr Peter Phillips is here to attend the IDB’s second Annual Caribbean Governors Meeting. It will be held today and tomorrow at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - On January 10, Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) sent the following response on whether it is concerned that local manufacturers will start to lobby for the removal of the CET on cement_ “CARICOM Agreements for Protection of Regional Investment and Manufacturing “The implementation of the common external tariff (CET) by the member states of the Caribbean Common Market in respect of all commodities imported in the common market from non-member countries is provided for under Article 31 of the Annex to the Treaty establishing the Caribbean community.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - Almost all of the countries of this region depend on tourism but the industry does not dominate the economies of all of the Caribbean countries. Jamaica exports bauxite; St Lucia produces bananas and manufactures lights, and Barbados, described as having a well-developed mixed economy also has offshore finance and information services as important foreign exchange earners.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Minister of Agriculture, Dr. David Estwick, says that the benefits to be derived from the production and wide utilisation of cassava flour as a substitute for wheat will not only be economical, but health-related as well. Estwick, who is also a medical practitioner, made the comments during a press conference where it was announced that manufacturers in this country will be involved in trials to determine the possibility of using cassava flour as a substitute for wheat flour in locally-baked goods.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority (ABIA) says negotiations are continuing with investors for the establishment of a US$75 million poultry farm here. A statement posted on the government website said the project, which will focus mainly on the export market, will provide direct employment for approximately 800 people. ABIA chairman Dr. McChesney Emanuel has commented on reports here that the Ciboney Poultry Company (CPC) multi-million dollar project would adversely affect the local poultry industry.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) As the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) moves into its fortieth year of existence, CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, has shared his vision for the advancement of the regional integration movement placing the Caribbean’s people at its core. In the December 2012 edition of the CARICOM View Magazine now published online at www.caricom.org  the Secretary-General reflects on his tenure in office so far, pointing out that he considers what he does as a “calling”.

(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) What is probably among the most common and most deadly AIDS defining infections in the Guianas, the Amazon and Central America remains largely overlooked. Disseminated Histoplasmosis often mimics tuberculosis which can lead to false “drug-resistant tuberculosis”.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar Wednesday dismissed suggestions that her coalition People’s Partnership government was introducing legislation to grant greater autonomy to Tobago ahead of the January 21 election for control of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). But Opposition Leader Dr.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Asking what the fuss was all about, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart insisted last night that elections would be called when he says so and that the date had been fixed in his mind since the St John by-election two years ago.
Giving his “unequivocal and emphatic endorsement” to Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for St Michael South East Patrick Tannis at the opening of the latter’s constituency office in Marsden Road, The Pine, Stuart also said the Opposition Barbados Labour Party’s boycott of Parliament Tuesday was a happy one.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A two-day conference of the Caribbean Outreach Working Meet on Drug Problems began here on Wednesday with a senior Organisation of American States (OAS) official warning that the crime situation, which is being fuelled by the drugs trade, has gotten worse.
Secretary for the Multidimensional Security of the OAS, Ambassador Adam Blackwell told delegates that there is no easy solution to the drugs trade and disagreed with suggestions that legalising the consumption and supply of drugs could eliminate the problem.